Disclaimer: This post was sponsored, and paid for, by SunTrust. All opinions are my own.

I started working when I was 15 years old. First, at a video store one or two evenings a week. Then, I picked up extra income as a nanny for a family for a few hours after school each day. Fiercely independent, there was even a time when I added a third job doing data entry for H & R Block during tax season. So, it was no surprise that when I went away to college, I worked a lot as well. Most of the jobs only paid me enough money to get by. However, the summer before my junior year I started selling mobile phones in the mall. Before I knew it, I was bringing in more money than I had ever made, even when I worked multiple jobs.

When my husband and I became engaged to be married, we wanted to purchase a home instead of renting to start our life together. My job along with a gift of the down payment from his parents made this dream possible. Since I had previously worked at a real estate office, I felt confident when it came to looking for a home. Our real estate agent had taken me in when I worked for him and treated me as a daughter, so I knew I was in good hands. After looking at several homes, we settled on the cutest little brand new 2 BR 1 1/2 bath starter home. I remember when we pulled in the driveway thinking, “This is it.” It was perfect with hardwood floors, and an open floor plan. I knew it was exactly what we were looking for to start our life together and the price was right at $59,900.

Even though we found the perfect home, we felt a little uncertain about all the details that were necessary to move forward with the purchase of that home. Homeowners insurance, mortgage loans, mortgage payments, and down payments were all words that were foreign to us. With so many decisions to make that went along with purchasing our first home, I remember feeling very overwhelmed. Sensing our hesitation, our realtor friend matched us with a fantastic mortgage lender who walked us step by step through the entire process of buying our first home. All of the anxiety I had previously felt was in vain as with each step we understood exactly what was expected of us, and what we needed to do to continue moving our loan forward through the approval process. Here we were, two college students, full of dreams for our future buying our first home together. Looking back I’m so thankful that we were able to start our marriage as homeowners.

Since that charming little home, we have moved three more times and are currently in the process of getting our home ready to sell as we start the process all over again. One thing I have learned is the importance of having people in our corner who we can trust through the course of purchasing a home. It’s so important to feel financially confident during such a significant life change such as owning a home, which is coincidently one of the largest financial milestones. SunTrust Mortgage has a team of experts that are committed to helping future homeowners find a mortgage that fits their life. They provide the resources and tools to help inform borrowers who aspire to become homeowners or are looking for their next home.

At SunTrust Mortgage, we make it a priority to learn all about your unique circumstances. Confidence starts with a conversation.